Winter Metal: The 49th Hunger Games
by skyline99
Summary: The year before The Quarter Quell. A Gamemaker in jepordy of being killed, the Capital restless for next year's games to come quicker, President Snow wants this to be a great build up not a boring year like last year. He wants to see blood shed and wants to hear children scream. The 24 un-lucky tributes will be thrown into a bizarre arena with nothing but hope by their side.
1. Prolouge: Confrontation

**A/N:**

**Hi! This is my first fan-fiction and thank you to EVERYONE who took time to read this! If I made any past tense mistakes, grammer, spelling, any mistakes or constructive cristism or ideas you have feel free to let me know in reveiws. I'll work hard to update and finish this story. Thank you! Here it goes...**

_**PROLOUGE: CONFRONTATION**_

The year before the Quell was supposed to be exiting to Gizelle. One more year and she'd be one of the few head gamemakers to manage a Quarter Quell. Yet she was so stressed she couldn't possibly describe it with words. If she screwed this year up no Quell for her, it would mean death. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and cleared her throat before entering the President's mansion. The Peacekeepers yanked her elbows and pratically pulled her into the mansion. She gulped and got more nervous the entire time but finaly told the guards to release her and waited until she heard their footsteps step down the stair case until she entered the President's study. She knocked lightly on the door twice and recieved no response. She knocked a tad harded twice and again no response.

_Oh...No! Was I fired without awareness? Was this schedueled a different day? Does the President wish not to see me? Have I been sentenced to death against my knowledge?_

All of these crazy thoughts entered Gizelle's mind. The door then opened by it's self when she decided to knock roughly one more time. She froze in terror when she found the room empty. She gulped and looked around the hall. No sign of him. She entered the room and dared to look at his desk. No sings of where he was. Gizelle began to panick as sweat covered her fore-head.

_No! No! No! NO! He doesn't want to meet with me. I'm...I'm...Dead! No, Gizelle, You're being paranoid! The Quell is mine!_

She reasoned with her self to check the only other place Snow would be. The Garden. She traveled down the hall and opened the doors to the graden. Immediately she was encountered by the strong stench of roses, as well as a moist/humid atmosphere. Gizelle sighed in relief as she saw President Coriolanus sitting on a beige stool clipping at a red rose. Gizelle didn't notice how the rose was a different color than usual she was just relieved to see him.

"Mr. President," She said calmly. His back had been facing her so he turned around and continued clipping his rose.

"Yes?" He asked without looking up.

"The arena is finished, and I have a ton of tricks up my sleeve, you will not be dissapointed," Gizelle said, with overwhelming confidence.

"I'm interested to see your invention. Last year's arena was promising...But honestly I'm sick of the trees. I would hope you decided a different design this year," President Snow said in a grave voice. Gizelle smiled.

"Oh, yes I did!" Gizelle said reassuringly.

"I want to know what the arena is. I wish to not at all be suprised the day of the games," Snow said. Gizelle nodded in comprehension.

"Well, I came here to tell you," Gizelle said. Snow nodded and stepped down from his stool, he tucked the crimson rose into his shirt pocket and nodded towards the doors. Snow and Gizelle walked slowy down the hall and to the study. Snow sat down behind his desk and guided his head for Gizelle to sit in the black seat in front.

Gizelle sat down there after smoothoning her black dress and folded her hands in her lap.

"Go ahead," The President said, glowering at The Head Game-maker.

"This year the tributes will not have trees as a shelter. This year they will be running a completely different ground. With no escape from it that means life," Gizelle said trying not to give too much away at once.

The President stared un-comprehendingly at Gizelle. After a long pause he said, "Do go on."

* * *

The next day President Snow was been feelng better about the 49th Games. Tension was building up in the Capitol and many citizens became restless for these games to be over so the Quell could come up.

"I do _not _want this to be a waisted year and just a sad build up for the Quell," President Snow had said very carefully the day of his meeting with the Head-Gamemaker, Gizelle.

"I completely understand, Sir. I will put my heart and soul into this year so it will be the best games yet!" Gizelle had exclaimed proudly. The President still wasn't completely sure with Gizelle after last year's boring arena but what Gizelle had said of _this _arena the day before had somewhat reassured him.

He was there in his mansion and watched the reapings. So far, there were volunteers in the career districts, District Three actually looked confident this year, and District Five was just fightened kids like usual. When District Six showed up on the Television someone knocked on the door to the President's study. He grunted in ignorance but got up from his seat and opened the door.

"President," A Peace-keeper said.

"Yes Holland?" Snow grumbeled.

"Gizelle is ready to show you the...the...Arena," Holland said nervously, because the President did not sound in the mood.

"Oh, I guess I forgot about this sitaution, I apologize for my rough attitude dear Holland. Please excuse me as I go back to put on my coat."

Holland nodded and stood pleasently by the door.

"A volunteer from District Nine!" Could be heard from the televesion right before Snow turned it off. He shuffled out of the room and was dressed in a nice tuxedo with a slick black coat that reached down to the back of his knees. He had a golden handeled cane that was a black otherwise.

"I'll escort you to the roof where Gizelle has the hovercraft," Holland said. The President nodded. The two chatted up the staircases.

"A weakling volunteered," The President sad sometime on a stair case. Holland helped guide the President up the stairs.

"Yes...Yes...District Nine, am I correctt?" Holland asked.

"I assume so. Sometimes volunteers from those districts are good or bad. At times it means strength but other times I see it as a sign of rebellion," The President said thoughtfully.

"I agree," Holland said in a confused voice.

"Well, many volunteers this year- not a ton of weaklings," The President said in an aggervated voice. He knew that the weak ones were the fun ones to down right torture.

"Sad," Holland said in a grave voice. They walked up to the roof and the wind was extrerme from the ready to go hovercraft. Holland quickly helped Snow into the hovercraft and then left the roof through the door that led to the stair case he walked up on.

After a whole hour of driving Snow became curious.

"Where is this arena located, Gizelle?" he asked.

Gizelle was dark skinned with faded pink tatoos on her forehead and around her eyes. She was wearing a brown scarf and then a dress made of peacock feathers. She left her couch where she had been watching the Reapings for the fifth time and sat next to the President on the velvet couch next to the drink table.

"My original plan was for it to be far out next to a far ocean many miles from District four but due to the final blue prints of the arena I decided to settle it in the August Forest," Gizelle said. Snow nodded, the August Forest was far off from the Capital, it wasn't close to any where but District Eightand the two were still amazingly far apart.

"I thought you said no trees were involved?" Snow wondered aloud.

"We cut them down," Gizelle said simply recieveing a nod from Snow. Gizelle's hair was tied into a humongus black bow and it kept turning loose and un-tying. Gizelle continued to fix her hair as Snow turned the Reapings back on and watched the Districts that he missed. Two more hours later and he grew impatient.

"How much longer?" He broke the awkward silence with this demanding question.

Gizelle turned towards him and smiled, "We're here."


	2. Chapter one: The Tribute List

_**A/N: This chapter is just the tribute list so if you ever need to look back to remember someone's age, district, or name just look here! Thank you to everyone who reads and thank you to who added this story to their favorites. Also in the prolouge it said there was a 13 year old girl tribute from District One...Well I didn't realise I had changed that so I went back and deleted it. Anyway: Read, Enjoy, and Reveiw!**_

_**CHAPTER ONE: THE TRIBUTE LIST**_

District one:

**_F- Gladice Partridge (16)_**

**_M- Jay Counting (18)_**

District two:

**_F- Fayet Tringer (17)_**

**_M- Flame Rome (15)_**

District three:

_**F- Abigail Breen (16)**_

_**M- Yale Dren (14)**_

District four:

_**F- Slash Poppel (13)**_

_**M- Terrison Untrend (18)**_

District five:

**_F- Kayla Har (13)_**

**_M- Ringe Axer (18)_**

District six:

**_F- Magenta Haymore (15)_**

**_M- Hayze Wont (15)_**

District seven:

**_F- Carly Ister (12)_**

**_M- Kreen Frit (16)_**

District eight:

**_F- Rita Trobules (17)_**

**_M- Lotch Fraine (14)_**

District nine:

**_F- Kelli Ronica (12)_**

**_M- Drennen Watson (16)_**

District ten:

**_F- Holly Octalin (18)_**

**_M- Jean Frigt (15)_**

District eleven:

**_F- Penelope Snad (17)_**

**_M- Brick Redhoute (13)_**

District twelve:

**_F- Mag Kettirpin (12)_**

**_M- Tran Jeck (14)_**


	3. Chapter two: Confidence and Love

_**A/N: I decided to go ahead and update this since it may be a few days before I upload the other since I haven't written yet. I've worked on this one all day. I hope these tributes are interesting and that I got the points from them across that I wanted to. Here are the District One tributes, Gladice Partridge and Jay Counting! Read, Enjoy, and Review!**_

_**CHAPTER TWO: CONFIDENCE AND LOVE**_

Gladice sat in the training center on the matt and watched everyone train with an amused grin on her face. There were toddlers falling on their faces at the obstacle course. Twelve year olds were missing miserably with their sling shots. Gladice shook her head in dissapointment, it was all a terrible mess. Many people called her an overly confident 16 year old but in her opionion she had a right to be confident. She was young, but she knew she was the best.

"Hey, get up! Your 16, right? Sword training! With me, GET UP!" A trainer shouted at Gladice, she stayed in a sitting position.

"I know how to use a sword," Gladice mumbeled and rolled her eyes.

"You are 16. You need to be in that class..." The trainer growled through gritted teeth.

"I. Don't. Need. That. Training. Are we clear?" Gladice said with a deadly glare. The trainer gave up and walked away, shaking his head. Gladice just sat there and crossed her arms. She observed the training centre.

_I can slice dummies, I can throw a mace, I can lunge an axe, what can't I do?!_

Gladice smiled with confidince and soon got bored. Training was coming to an end for the morning, trainees were gasping for breath and reached for bottles of water. Trainers joked and pointed at a small boy trying to hit a bulls eye with a knife but miserably missing each time. Gladice smirked at the poor boy.

"Reaping Day! Reaping Day!" A bunch of teenagers starting cheering.

_They better not plan on volunteering_, Gladice thought. This was her year, she refused to go through one more year at the Training Center with nothing to do. She couldn't possibly get any better, or so she thought. She gave a loud sigh of complain and stood up to follow the sounds of chanting.

"I can't wait to volunteer!" One of the older, blonde girls cheered.

"Excuse me?" Gladice spat.

"Huh?" The blonde girl growled.

Gladice rolled her eyes and crossed her arms again and said, "I heard you say you were going to volunteer."

"Yeah, you heard me right!" The girl snapped.

"There ya' go Pay! Put that stupid Gladice in her place!" Another girl in the crowd cheered.

Gladice assumed the dumb blonde she was talking to was the "Pay" everyone was cheering about.

"_I'm_ going to volunteer this year, hate to brake it to ya' _Payy_ but I'd be a better represenitive of our district anyway!" Gladice yelled. Pay looked taken aback.

"Oh, and stupid name!" Gladice yelled back as she left the training center. She smiled proudly and skipped her way to her house to dress for the reapings. She was ready.

* * *

"Do you _have_ to Jay?" Wendy asked Jay in a sad voice while the two walked hand in hand in a grass and tree park area.

"It's my last year," Jay said. The two had been going out since they were twelve and had atoumatically clicked and gotten along. Now they were eighteen and the day had come. Jay had tried to volunteer two years ago but Wendy was so scared of loosing him she talked him out of it. Now it was his final chance to compete and Wendy was terrified.

"But I love you," Wendy whimpered.

"And I love you too my Wendy. Always have, always will. But I've trained several years. Ever since we started dating, after school I would train and you would sit on the side and read. You would watch when it was my turn and you would clap and cheer. Don't you want all of it to be worth it?" Jay tried to pursuade her with.

"I just want you to come home," Wendy whispererd. She let go of her boyfriend's hand and turned to face him with tear filled eyes. "Will you?"

Jay nodded in reponse and kissed Wendy on the lips. It was long and felt right for both of them. It felt like love.

Jay knew Wendy was never keen on the idea of the games but he wished she was less hesitant for him to go in. Wendy nodded and held Jay's hand again. They sat there in the grass for the longets time. Jay knew he should be training but Wendy really wanted this time with him before the games. He had dressed in his reaping clothes early to hang out with her and he wasn't going to leave her. Wendy rested her head on his shoulder and Jay day dreamed about him and Wendy living in the victor's village off his winning fortunes.

Soon the time for the reaping arrived and Wendy began to cry.

"I've seen you train, I know you can win. I'm just worried," She croaked. Jay nodded, he understood. He helped her up and they walked hand in hand to the square. They signed in and shared a long and tight hug.

"I'll miss you," Wendy muttered.

Jay nodded and hugged Wendy tighter, "Visit me in the Justice Building."

Wendy nodded and the two let go and went to their sections. They waited for the reaping to start.

* * *

Gladice fidgeted impatiently while standing in her age section. She wanted to volunteer already and rub it in Pay's and everyone's face who thought she was too young.

_I'm more skilled than the average eighteen year old, I'm ready for this!_ She told her self. She nodded and conitnued to lightly jump up and down.

"The Hunger Games were established to..." The escorts squeaky and girly voice rang in Gladice's ears but she still managed to zone out and thought of all of the little kids she'd slice up in the games.

"Now, Ladies first!" The escort cheered. Gladice catched a glance of Pay's angry glare. Gladice grinned and screamed, "I VOLUNTEER!" The escort didn't even get a chance to pick a slip.

Pay's eyes widened and she sprinted away from the eighteen year old section.

"No, No! This is my last year! I VOLUNTEER, STUPID GLADICE!" Pay yelled and ran as fast as her feet could take her but Gladice was already on the stage doing a gloaty curtsey to Pay. Pay screamed in ignorance and lunged at the steps to the stage but near by Peacekeepers dragged her away.

"Gladice Partridge," Gladice told the escort afterwards.

"Ummm, ok now for the male!" The escort was shocked with the whole ordeal about the female tribute but went ahead and walked towards the bowl with the slips of boy's names.

* * *

Jay was ready to volunteer and he had to admit that he was excited to fianlly be this close to The Hunger Games. He gulped and smiled.

"Now for the male!" The escort cheered. She drew a slip.

"Henry Portox!"

"I VOLUNTEER!" Jay's shrill scream filled the square and echoed all around. He ran up before any one could take his place.

"Oo! Two volunteers! Your name, Hone?" The escort squeaked.

"Jay Counting."

"Wonderful! Your District One tributes, Gladice Partridge and Jay Counting!" The escort pratically screamed and so did the crowd in approval. Jay shook Gladice's hand and was taken into the Justice Building. He sat in his room and awaited his guests to say goodbye. His mother came in with his four year old brother, Teddy. They hugged and kissed and Jay was congradulated several times by his fame hungry mother. Jay's only friend was Wendy so he eagerly waited to give her a hug.

Wendy came in moments later sobbing. She pratically collapsed in Jay's lap crying.

"Why, Whyy?" She cried. Jay's heart broke by the sound of her cries.

"Shhh, Shhh. I'll come back! Everything will go back to normal after this," Jay said and stroked Wendy's auburn hair. Hopefully he thought what he was saying would be true. Meanwhile, in the other goodbye room Gladice sat there impatiently with her arms crossed.

Her mother was dead, her step-mother hated her, and her dad liked her somewhat. No one else would wish her a good bye. Moments later the door opened and in her father came.

"Will you be returning?" He asked his daughter as he stroked his mustache.

"Yes," Gladice said quickly and plainly.

Her father nodded and said, "Then no goodbye is needed." Gladice nodded in agreement and her father left her alone to enter The Train.

_**A/N: (again) to whoever read this chapter please feel free to point out any mistakes you saw in a review and also feel free to give ideas and talk about the story. **_


	4. Chapter 3: Disappointment and Excellence

_**A/N: Late update, I know. It's harder to update a lot than I thought it would be! I'll try to get a new chapter in every 1-2 days. This one took me longer to write but it was pretty fun to write for Flame. Ok, so your district 2 tributes! Fayet Tringer and Flame Rome! Read, Enjoy, and give your thoughts in a review!**_

_**CHAPTER THREE: DISAPPOINTMENT AND EXCELLENCE**_

"It was an accident. I swear," Fayet pleaded. Rollivin rolled his eyes.

"You didn't mean to stab d?" The Father questioned.

"She did!" Rollivin snapped and glared at Fayet.

"Bull, you- youu!" Fayet growled.

"What? What am I?!" Rollivin challenged grinning with satisfaction to get Fayet in trouble.

"That is enough Fayet! I am calling the mayor this time!" Their Father yelled, it echoed all around their large house.

"But-But I was supposed to volunteer this year," Fayet whimpered.

"NOO! _I _was but now I can't because you injured me!" Rollivin wailed.

"You're only thirteen Rollivin! I planned to volunteer before you! Besides, I'm much more mature and ready!" Fayet yelled.

"_Fayet_, Rollivin was going to volunteer until you assaulted him!" Their Father screamed at her. Fayet did not back down.

"You always liked him better than me, dad!" Fayet insisted.

"You were supposed to reshape this family, Fayet. When you couldn't, I handed it over to Rollivin," Their Father said simply.

"You never gave me the chance," Fayet whispered and wiped a tear from her eyes.

"You stabbed me!" Rollivin interrupted.

"ACCIDENTALLY IN TRAINING!" Fayet's shrill scream echoed around them.

Their Father glared at Fayet and said, "I shall call the Mayor and get you arrested."

Fayet had many tears pouring down her face at this point. She hastily wiped them away and stared her Father dead in the eyes.

"You can't arrest a tribute," She spat and stormed out.

"DON'T YOU DARE VOLUNTEER!" Her Father called after her but she had already left and did not hear his frantic yells for her to stop.

* * *

Flame threw the knife again and it landed straight at the dummy's neck. Again.

"Wow, dude! Those are some exceptional skills for a 15 year old! Do you understand how good you are?!" A nearby trainer exclaimed. Flame smiled and went to the weapon rack. It may have been reaping day but it was also Expection Day. That was the day in the Training Center where the trainers judged everyone's skills and gave the students a chance to practice their skills they would show the Game-makers if they ever went into the games.

Flame patiently waited for his turn as he went through what he would do in his mind. He clutched a mace in his right hand and a small sword in his left. He had a permanent smirk on his face and stared around the room. A bunch of kids were sitting in chairs awaiting their turns like Flame. One frightened kid who couldn't be older than twelve sat in his chair with wide eyes. he was twiddling his thumbs with a knife at his feet.

Flame chuckled and thought of how fun it would be to snap the kids neck. There would be a sickening crunch and the kid would freeze up like stone, Flame's smile brightened up when he thought of the glee he would feel from killing the kid. Then he thought of other ways to kill the young kid, _I could slice his head off, I could cut him open and rip his insides up, I could slowly cut his face, I could plunge an axe into his chest-_

"Fayet Tringer!" A trainer called. No one responded so the trainer went ahead and announced a different name. The name Fayet rang a bell in Flame's mind but he couldn't remember her for some reason. He then concluded that she must not be very good because he only remembered ones that had skills close to his spectacular talents.

A few minutes later a female trainer called, "Flame Rome!" Flame grinned and walked confidently towards the training room.

"Welcome Flame, please set your chosen weapons down for a second and show us your weight lifting skills," the trainer said. Flame nodded and suprised the trainers when he could bench a lot of weight. He did just as amazing with axe's, swords, knife throwing, the obstacle course, and beat one of the best wrestling trainers there was in a wrestle match.

"Well, you have two minutes to impress us with your chosen weapons," the trainer said.

Flame quickly yanked his mace off of the ground and sliced a dummy in half with it. He then threw it and knocked several metal mannequins down, in half, in the head, if the structures were humans they would all be dead. Flame then grabbed his small sword and sliced several dummys up and threw it at a target. It met the bulls eye at an amazing velocity.

The trainers clapped at Flame's skill as he bowed and left the room with his head held high.

* * *

Fayet had ran to the square as fast as her feet would take her. She panted as the peacekeepers took her blood and shoved her into the crowd. Girls were gossiping about volunteering, and Fayet felt dizzy. Did she really want to do this? It was always her dream to win the games but everything was all _so_ dizzy and twisted. Fayet's heart beat was at an alarming rate and she tried to gulps of air in.

A colorful woman walked up to the stage and said something resulting in cheers and claps from the audience. Fayet could barely make out what she was saying.

"Now...For our long-awaited female tribute!" The escort cheered. Fayet could breathe again and actually understood what the escort had just said.

"WAIT! I VOLUNTEER!" Fayet screamed, now aware of her surroundings.

"NO! I DO!"

"ME-ME!"

"MY YEAR!" Several other girl's screams filled the square but Fayet got to the stage firsts causing fits from the same voices of the girls who had longed to volunteer.

"Ooh, competition!" The escort who Fayet recognized her with the name of Olivitan, exclaimed.

After the escort asked Fayet her name she told her and it all ready moved on to the males. Fayet glared at Rollivin in the audience as he smirked at her.

* * *

There had been quite a show of female volunteers but that didn't intimidate or nervous Flame. After how well of feed back he got from expection earlier that morning he had afterwards decided to volunteer this year. Sure, he was a little young for a career but he didn't care. When he wanted to do something, nothing could stop him.

Olivitan picked the male slip. "Rent Yoko!" The escort cheered. Flame quickly recognized that he was the twelve year old from earlier in the waiting room. Flame considered of just watching the game for the year to see how Rent died but he shook it off and quickly shouted, "I VOLUNTEER!"

The escort nodded and Flame pushed through the crowd. He got to the stage before any one else could and the crowd whispered about the young male who volunteered.

"Your name?" Olivitan asked.

"Flame Rome, the name of your next victor!" He cheered. Now the crowd felt more confident in their tributes and cheered as the two shook hands. They were shoved into goodbye rooms where Flame patiently waited for his visitors. First up was his family, his mother and father.

"We didn't know you were so eager! You're going to do so great out there! We're so proud!" His parents cheered. Flame grinned and agreed with them when they said he'd win. He accepted their hugs.

"Love yall'! Be back soon!" He cheered as they walked out. He may have been very violent but he always had a soft spot for his family. Next came Rent Yoko. He burst into tears as he entered the room.

"Thank you so much, Flame!" He squealed and wiped his eyes quickly.

"Ummm, your welcome?" Flame rolled his eyes.

"You're gonna win! I see you train, you're so much better than me!" Rent cried. Flame smirked, this kid began to grow on him.

"I am good aren't I?" Flame asked. Rent nodded and held his arms open for a hug.

"Ok, you'll get one but _only_ because you pointed out how great I am!" Flame snapped. He gave Rent a quick hug and the crying kid left the room.

Weak,

Flame thought. His friends: Ky, Silver, and Freezna congratulated him and patted his back and soon his visitors died down and he waited for the train.

Meanwhile, Fayet's goodbyes were a mess. Her father screeched at her for volunteering and Rollivin kept yelling at her about his cut.

"Look! Look at it, Fayet! It was my year! BUT YOU RUINED IT!" Rollivin challenged.

Fayet rolled her eyes, _it's not your year anymore. It's mine. Finaly it's about me. _

"I'll win! I'll prove you both wrong and make you both proud! I'll come back as a victor!" Fayet growled at them. She only hoped it was true.

_**A/N: Let me know what you think about the expection day thing and about the tributes! I'll try to update soon!**_


	5. Chapter 4: Betrayal and Defiance

_**A/N: I'm back! Again, it took 3 days to update...Sorry...This one took me a while to get through. Don't get me wrong, I love these tributes- there was just a lot of stuff to write about and I had my first vision for the chapter...But then my laptop deleted it...So I went with a completely different idea this afternoon and whala! This is my idea! So, Let me know what you think! And I hope this story is going to go somewhere (I have great ideas for the games) Once I'm done with all of these reapings (the get boring to write over and over again) I will probably be writing chapters a lot faster because I love the games. Updates may take longer so I get ahead in chapters and am not left with nothing after I update. Well, I guess that's all I need to say! Feel free to point out any mistakes...Read, Enjoy, And review! Your District Three tributes...Abigail breen and Yale Dren!**_

_**CHAPTER FOUR: BETRAYAL AND DEFIANCE**_

"I don't want to talk today," Abigail sighed and brushed her ink black hair.

"I know it's reaping day and all but you still have to talk," Veronica tried, with her hands lightly on her hips. Her best friend, Abigail was always like this on reaping day. Veronica knew Abigail signed up for large amounts of tesserae every year but still, she thought she could ease up.

"No I don't," Abigail said simply and strided over to look in her bland closet.

_What gray cloth should I wear today? _Abigail thought weakly.

"Come on, Abigail! Do you have any idea how many kids sign up for tesserae?" Veronica called as she sat on Abigail's unstable wooden chair.

"You're certainly not one of them," Abigail quietly growled.

"Excuse me?" Veronica asked in an acussing tone.

"You heard me. You live in a damn two-story house, mine is hardly 3 rooms! You never need food, while I'm starving all of the damn time! You have no trouble getting along with people, while you're my only _DAMN _friend! You never offer to introduce me to guys or people, you never offer to share your life time supply of food. I'm grasping on to life here, Veronica! My grandmother is slowly dying in the next room, my little brother has no idea when he'll get dinner again, and my dad left us! And you're here _mad _that I wont talk to you?! What kind of friend are you Veronica? What the hell is wrong with you?! You are so much better off than me! SO MUCH! And you don't even try to help me!" Abigail exploded in a weak voice. Tears entered Abigail's eyes as she quickly wiped them away.

Veronica had stayed in the chair the entire time Abigail had yelled with a blank expression on her face.

"What? Since I'm better off than you I'm a bad friend?" Veronica challenged.

Abigail widened her eyes and yanked a gray dress of the hanger and through it at Veronica shouting, "NO! WERE YOU LISTNING?! IF I HAD FOOD AND YOU DIDN'T, I WOULD SHARE VERONICA! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH FOOD YOU HAVE COMPARED TO ME! YOU DON'T CARE THOUGH!"

Veronica's mouth fell open as the dress hit her. When Abigail quit shouting Veronica yelled, "Why are you so mad about all of this?!"

"BECAUSE! I HEARD YOU YESTERDAY AFTER SCHOOL! TALKING TO BRITTNA AND KASILLA, SAYING STUFF LIKE 'I ONLY FEEL BAD FOR ABIGAIL, I DON'T CARE ABOUT HER!' HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT! I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS, BITCH!" Abigail screamed. Veronica had no response. She flicked the bland dress off of her that Abigail had thrown at her and stormed out of the room with her hazelnut brown hair flowing behind her. Abigail had always wanted to look like her but now she was disgusted with Veronica's presence. She hadn't planned to bring it up. She was hurt by what Veronica had said but decided to act like she had never heard it so she wouldn't lose her only friend.

Then a tear trickled down Abigail's face. She realised what had just happened. She lost her only friend.

* * *

"Yale, Yale, hurry! You gonn' get caught! It's reaping day. Town crawlin' with does guards and da guns," Howy whispered next to his friend, Yale.

"Shut it, Howy! The sun is out! Light, is coming- people will see us. I'm almost done!" Yale snapped in a hushed voice as response. Howy nodded with big eyes and continued to pace back and forth as Yale finished his masterpiece. He continued his painting with details even though his small container of paint was about empty.

"They're done settin' the slaughter up! Nowa Hurry!" Howy hissed. Yale nodded but didn't look towards him. Howy and Yale absolutely hated the games, that's why Howy called the reapings: slaughter. He believed that every year, district three would lose and the careers would win, so in his mind the reapings were basically slaughter, death sentences.

"I'm done," Yale breathed after five more minutes. He dropped the brush and put his hands on his hips in a sign of being proud. His masterpiece was done. Right on the side of the building where The Panem/ Hunger Games History classes were at the school, there was a lavender painting he had just drawn.

It showed a dead body with the word _WHY? _Above it in wacky writing. Then in wacky letters, but amazingly drawn, it read, _THE GAMES ARE WHY. THE GAMES ARE EVIL. _Howy squinted, using his poor reading skills he was trying to sound out the words when they both heard footsteps.

"Oh-oh!" Howy barely had time to react before he dove into the school's spider-webbed bushes and crawled in the garden to escape. Yale knew he couldn't follow with Howy's slow speed so he took off in front of the garden and then hid under the metal school bench at the entrance. He heard mutters from the side of the building where he painted when his eyes widened.

The paint brush.

His eyes widened even more when he realised that the brush was there, where they could do finger print scanning._ "No...No...No!"_ He whispered. He heard more muttering and then the faint sounds of metal boots on concrete. he sighed in relief and got out from under the bench. Howy jumped at him from the pushes, startling Yale a bit.

"The brush," Yale whispered. Howy's face turned pale, like he had just seen a ghost.

"Oh no, buddy," Howy gasped. They both broke out in a sprint to get the brush. It was still there. Untouched.

* * *

Abigail had kissed her grandmother on the cheek before leaving. She did that every time before she left the house, if it was the last time she saw her grandma. Her grandmother had been suffering with terrible cancer for a long time and was now on her death-bed. She held her six year old brother, Tex's hand and walked by him and her mom to the reapings.

She felt bad about yelling at Veronica but she kept reassuring her self, _She told her friends she didn't care about you. Whatever you do can't affect her. _Abigail also knew how Veronica wasn't a loser, and how she will make her pay through her high social status. Abigail knew that she would have to pay, and she didn't want to go through the torture Veronica had planned for her.

Soon she signed in and kissed Tex on the fore-head goodbye. She gave her mom a long hug and went into her age section, knowing how many times her name was in that bowl. She didn't want to think about it but the number kept appearing in her head. _56. 56. 56. _

The escort came up. This year it was a new capital woman, with sky blue skin, very high cheek bones, unnaturally large lips, and toxic green hair. She may have been considered pretty in the capital, but in Abigail's book she was down right, ugly.

Abigail didn't listen to the woman babble on and on and only payed attention to when two young boys fled in the middle of the ceremony to the fourteen year old section. Abigail rolled in her eyes where they landed on the ladies' light blue hand reaching into the girl's glass bowl.

"Your female tribute is...Abigail Breen!"

Abigail stood shocked, but then reminded her self that she was on camera, and would NOT look weak. SHe slowly walked to the stage and ignored the escort's congratulation's towards her. Nothing mattered right now, nothing except Tex's loud wailing coming from the back of the crowd.

* * *

Yale and Howy sped to the reaping.

"Where Late...Where late!" Howy snapped in a high voice the whole time. They had fooled around making final touches to the painting too late and now they were late to the reaping. They quickly ran to registration where the peace keepers gave them glares but did nothing else. They ran to their spots while the weird-looking escort called the female tribute. Yale didn't recognize her for the short second he looked at her. He continued wiping sweat off of his fore-head.

"Now! The males!" The escort called. Howy and Yale's heads snapped up to the stage.

"Yale...Yale...Yale...Yale," Howy muttered over and over into Yale's ears.

"What?!" Yale hissed.

"Can we protest?" Howy whispered in a rough voice. Yale shook his head and tried to listen to the escort speak the male's name. Howy always wanted to protest in a reaping, but Yale knew it meant one thing...Death.

"Your male tribute...Yale Dren!" The escort exclaimed. Yale felt shock. He was pale and couldn't move. He slowly taught him self to walk and made it to the stage, squinting at the bright lights on him. He was forced to shake hands with the girl and went into the Justice Building.

He was first meant by Howy.

"NOOOOOO!" Howy cried wiping away tears. "YOU'RE MY ONLY...ONLY...FRIEND," Howy cried over and over. Yale nodded and hugged his friend for what would probably be the last time.

"I'm so sorry," Yale croaked. Howy was pulled away by peacekeepers and Yale sat there in silence. He was an orphan, on the streets, no family. Howy was all who would say goodbye to him.

* * *

Tex stormed into the room and gave Abigail a big hug. Tears trickling down both of their faces.

"Try," Tex whispered. Abigail nodded and wiped away her tears. She could only try. Then it was her mom.

"Stay...Stay strong for Tex. Tell Grandma I love her to death. And I love you too," Abigail choked out, her cheeks wet with tears.

Her mother nodded and held her tight. The two were yanked out of the room and Abigail waited for the train.

Then someone else came in...Veronica.

"What do you want," Abigail said in a quiet voice. Veronica looked at her with sad eyes and left the room crying. She couldn't face Abigail, the girl she had betrayed.

_**A/N: Here is one last note. Several errors may be in Howy's dialouge...It's supposed to be like that. Howy and Yale are supposed to be rough and spontanious, so there shouldn't be any un purposeful mistakes there. I liked alot of parts in this chapter...Let me know what yout hink! I'll try to write district 4 and 5 reapings soon! **_


	6. Chapter 5: Worrisome and Force

_**A/N: Hi! Late update again...I know :(...I'm going to try to get ahead on my writing so I'm not always behind like I have been...which may mean slower updates but I have a ton of ideas for all of this! I know what I'm going to do for the female tribute of district 5, I know what I'm going to do for the district 6 tributes, and I may start writing the train chapters. Also, so there isn't a ton of chapters on this story I may but several district train rides in one chapter. Let me know if you like that idea or not..I know the arena idea and I think I have an idea for some other stuff. I just need to get it down! Please let me know if you see mistakes...I'm in a rush to update! Here are your District 4 tributes: Slash Poppel and Terrison Untrend! So...Read, Enjoy, Review?**_

_**CHAPTER FIVE: WORRISOME AND FORCE**_

"You need to understand," Slash said uncertainly, pulling at the edges of her short, dark wooden colored hair.

"What?" Seth asked, worried.

"I'm volunteering for the games this year-" Slash tried to explain but a worried Seth quickly cut her off.

"WHAT? I-I mean...Why?" Seth stuttered.

"Let me explain! I've trained ever since I was two years old. You know my family is dirt poor, so my parents made me train and are forcing me to volunteer this year...So...They can get money...If-" Slash's tears cut her off.

"If you win?" Seth finished for her.

"Yeah," Slash croaked.

"And if you don't...?"

More tears fell down Slash's face, "I hoped you understand."

Seth wiped away a few tears. His cousin and best-friend was leaving him.

"I do...I do...You can't control it!" Seth sobbed.

Slash nodded and opened her arms for a hug from Seth. He agreed and the two held each other in a tight hug. Hoping it would shut out all the horrors of reality that was shoving them into an unescapable nightmare.

"Do you _have _to volunteer?" Her cousin asked, starting up a plan in his head.

"Yes, they're forcing me," Slash said silently.

"You don't have to volunteer, you could flee to my family as soon as the reaping parents wouldn't know because I'd cover for you- I just need to tell my parents and we could hide you away from them!" Seth quietly cheered.

Slash's eyes widened. "Do you think it will really work?" She squeaked.

"Yes," Seth said. "Yes I do."

* * *

"Ok! Let's fence!" Terrison's dad, named Derek, declared.

"Wait, dad. We need our gear," Terrison said quietly and carefully. Derek absolutely hated when someone disagreed with him, usually Terrison would suffer a beating when he questioned his dad's motives.

"_Excuse_ me?" His Father spat.

"We need gear to fence," Terrison reasoned weakly.

"Oh? Are you scared? Are you backing down? Are you worried about getting hurt?!" His Father taunted.

"I just..." Terrison immediately regretted ever mentioning the gear.

"Shut up, Terrison Markison Untrend!" His father yelled and picked up a fencing sword.

Terrison grew red with embarrassment and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

_This is the last day, after this...No more Dad. _He thought to himself and immediately felt better.

"TERRISON!" His father awakened Terrison from his thoughts with a cruel yell and a burning slap across the face.

"S-Sorry," Terrison mumbled and lifted his hand to his bruised cheek. "Aah," He sighed with the harsh pressure he felt after.

"I'd like to fence today Terrison...It's your last meaningful lesson. They wont teach you much worth while in the Capitol," His Father said slowly while dragging his finger along the tip of the fencing sword.

Terrison nodded and walked over to the sword holder. They were in a training center, miles from their well off house. This was the most decent training center available in the area, and his dad was determined to give him everything possible so that Terrison could arise victor. To his Father, all that meant was money-money-money.

He grabbed out a normal fencing sword and stood on the matt, facing his Father. He despised his father but could do nothing about it. His Father was the only family he had.

"Ike!" His Father called. It was a cruel battle call his Father had come up with. It always infuriated Terrison and fueled him to fight since Ike, was the name his deceased older brother who had tried to kill him when Terrison was quite young. Ike was now joined with the dead group of tributes...Killed in The Hunger Games.

Terrison didn't remember why Ike had tried to kill him so long ago, but he still remembered Ike coming at him with a shiny machete and an evil grin.

Terrison immediately jumped out at his Father with a terrible clashing sound against their two swords. It went like this for several minutes, Terrison trying to slash his Father but missing each time due to a block made.

Finalay, Terrison slashed his sword out and the tip of the sword landed on Derek's chest.

"Took you long enough!" His Father grunted and the two put up their swords and headed to the reaping.

* * *

"You told them?" Slash checked with Seth on the way to the reaping. She had managed to escape her house and had run to her cousin.

"Yes, my parents have promised to keep you safe," Seth assured her. Slash let out a deep breath and right away felt better. She looked at the ground as her and Seth walked next to each other all the way to the reaping. Several thoughts were jumbled into Seth's mind and it had taken all of his strength to refuse the coming tears the entire walk to the reaping.

"Ready?" He mumbled to Slash. Slash nodded in response and the two signed in for the reaping.

"By," Slash whimpered with tear filled eyes. Seth did the same in response and then they walked to their respective and assigned areas.

The escort chatted on and on about how wonderful the Games were and how the District needed to win and behave like careers this year. Most rolled their eyes in response except the select few teenagers in the crowd who were actually excited about the Career title.

"Now!" The Escort snapped back everyone's attention. "Our Female Tribute!" Her heels clicked against the stage as she strided to the female glass bowl. Her hand digged in and out in a flash and she read the paper slip.

Seth's fingers were crossed, hoping that Slash's parents wouldn't react when she didn't volunteer.

"Slash Poppel!" The Escort cheered. Seth's eyes widened and tears poured down his pale cheeks in a pure millisecond.

_I- I never thought about her actually...Being...Reaped._ He told him self and started bawling. He should have thought this through. He eagerly waited for a volunteer but no one came up.

Slash slowly walked to the stage biting back tears as her parents cheered in the back like crazy for her. Seth thought of what he could do but lost hope when the Escort went on to the males. She announced the name and suddenly a spark went on Seth's brain.

_I'll volunteer to go in and save her..._ He thought and opened his mouth to volunteer.

"I VOLUNTEER!" Terrison yelled at a loud and deep voice.

Seth grew pale and realised the sad truth. He could no longer do anything to save Slash.

* * *

"Well, Son. You yelled a little too loud. It no longer seemed confident, it seemed...Needy, desperate. Many bad judgements may go on about you tonight on the recap of the Reapings. Just prove them wrong in training. Listen to your stylists but you don't necessarily have to obey them. Listen to your mentors based on their age and give it all in the games. I trained you for a reason...Don't weak out on me," Terrison's Dad said all of this in a low voice and then left the room peacefully.

"Love you too Dad," Terrison said weakly after his Father had left the room.

* * *

"NO! NO! THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!" Slash screamed when the peacekeepers dragged her to her own goodbye room. They threw her on to the couch and slammed the door behind them. Slash immediately threw her face into her trembling hands and cried away her problems.

"No...no...no...no...no...no..." She mumbled over and over to her self through her hysterical crying.

First to storm in was Seth's red and wet face.

"Sl-Slash.." He stumbled and ran into his cousin's open arms.

"I...I tried to vol-volunteer for you," Seth breathed and fell from Slash's arms and on to the wooden floor sobbing.

"Seth-Seth calm down," Slash tried. "No. I'm glad you didn't volunteer. I- can make it." Slash was overwhelmed with her confidence but then she realised that she only said it to comfort Seth. She knew she couldn't make it.

"Re-Really?" Seth whimpered. Slash tried to explain quickly when she heard stomps towards the doors but nothing was truly explained before the peacekeepers barged in and dragged Seth out. Seth's parents then said quick goodbyes and then the true challenge came: Slash's parents.

"Honey! Honey! You did it! You'll bring money!" They cheered, jumped up and down, and clapped hands. Slash tried to put on a brave smile but felt like hiding in a corner. Away from the Games.

_**A/N: Well...I guess that's all! I'm so glad to finish another reaping! I hope to get the next one on before my school comes out. When School starts next week I'll try to update every weekend (if i can...I'll be busy!) Let me know what you think. Writing for Slash was just challeging for me...But I hope I get better at writing for her as well as all of the others. **_


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